“These things, and things reckoned greater than
these, he promised us, on condition only that we should associate with
him, and keep silence as to the wickedness of his undertaking, so that
the scheme of his deceit might succeed. But still we would not
consent, but even counselled him to desist from such madness, saying to
him: ‘We, O Simon, remembering our friendship towards you
from our childhood, and out of affection for you, give you good
counsel. Desist from this attempt. You cannot be a
God. Fear Him who is really God. Know that you are a man,
and that the time of your life is short; and though you should get
great riches, or even become a king, few things accrue to the short
time of your life for enjoyment, and things wickedly gotten soon flee
away, and procure everlasting punishment for the adventurer.
Wherefore we counsel you to fear God, by whom the soul of every one
must be judged for the deeds that he hath done here.’